Edible origami cranes made out of wonton
Edible origami cranes made out of wonton wrappers and deep-fried. Includes how-to instructions.
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kottke.org posts about how to
As this video demonstrates, an 8.5x11 piece
As this video demonstrates, an 8.5x11 piece of paper can be folded into a beer bottle opener. (via clusterflock)
For next time around, how to photograph
For next time around, how to photograph a lunar eclipse. Here’s a list of upcoming eclipses. (via inmyallstars)
4-hour BBC documentary on how to be
4-hour BBC documentary on how to be a gardener. I only watched the first few minutes, but it seems promising. (thx, avi)
How to build a really fantastic snow
How to build a really fantastic snow fort. “Your secret weapon would be a garden hose with a misting attachment at the end, so long as it provides an extremely gentle mist. Work from a distance, letting the water have some time to cool in the air before it hits the fort. And you’ll want to work in layers, giving the ice time to build up.”
Sorry this is late, but clip and
Sorry this is late, but clip and save for next year: how to win your Oscar pool. Short answer: follow the wisdom of the crowds.
How to crap properly. (No, really! It’s
How to crap properly. (No, really! It’s safe for work and everything.)
A thoughtful article on how to make
A thoughtful article on how to make it as an actor by Jenna Fischer, the actress who plays Pam on The Office. “I have a great acting coach who says that success in Hollywood is based on one thing: opportunity meets readiness. You cannot always control the opportunities, but you can control the readiness. So study your craft, take it seriously. Do every play, every showcase, every short film, every student film you can get. Swallow your pride. Be willing to work for nothing in things you think are stupid. Make work for yourself. Make your own luck. Don’t complain. Hopefully, the work will find you if you are ready.” Worth reading even if you’re not an actor. (thx, dunstan)
How to extract stem cells from a
How to extract stem cells from a placenta and store them for possible future use, all from the comfort of your own home. The cost runs in the thousands of dollars but it’s totally doable at home.
How to use Photoshop to make your
How to use Photoshop to make your car look like one of the characters in Pixar’s Cars.
Tremble funnyman Todd Levin dons the Non-Expert’s
Tremble funnyman Todd Levin dons the Non-Expert’s hat over at The Morning News to explain how to buy wine. “FANCY SERIF FONT + PARCHMENT LABEL + SOMETHING YOU KIND OF REMEMBERED FROM THE MOVIE SIDEWAYS + $12-$16 PRICE TAG = SUCCESS”
Classic Slate piece: how to buy a
Classic Slate piece: how to buy a mattress. “The mattress biz is 99-percent marketing. So just buy the cheapest thing you can stand and be done with it, because they’re pretty much all the same.” (via torrez)
How to choose a good book to
How to choose a good book to read, a tip from Marshall McLuhan: turn to page 69, read it, and if it’s good, you’ve got a winner. (via snarkmarket)
Update: A kottke.org reader writes, “It’s known (although perhaps not well) that he often only read the left-hand pages of books. It’s one way that someone could get through as much as he did and apparently he thought there was usually too much redundancy, anyway.” (thx, steve)
Two interviewers for The Onion AV Club
Two interviewers for The Onion AV Club talk about how they prepare for doing interviews. “First, I think about what I might ask subjects if I were at a party with them, just making conversation. Then I read as many interviews as I can find with the subject, so I can avoid asking questions that have been asked a thousand times, and steer around the pat answers.”
How to be interesting. “The way to
How to be interesting. “The way to be interesting is to be interested” and “interesting people are good at sharing”. (via spurgeonblog)
How to talk to a climate skeptic
Grist Magazine: How to talk to a climate skeptic. Looks pretty comprehensive.
Let’s say, like Steve Wynn, you’ve punched
Let’s say, like Steve Wynn, you’ve punched a hole in your Picasso. Here’s how to fix it.
Photoshop tutorial: how to add 20 years to
Photoshop tutorial: how to add 20 years to someone in a photograph. (via photojojo)
Wally Wallington demonstrates how to move anything
Wally Wallington demonstrates how to move anything by yourself, including a barn and a Stonehenge-sized rock. More information available at Wally’s site.
15 ways to improve your newspaper business. “1. Go
15 ways to improve your newspaper business. “1. Go out in street, see news, write it up.”
Photo cans
If you asked me today to choose a medium in which to focus my future artistic energies, I’d have to go with the photo can. After finding this great Photojojo tutorial yesterday on using tin cans and glass jars as photo frames, I selected three recent pictures I’d taken and made this can triptych:
So cool! And simple too. I didn’t follow Photojojo’s directions exactly and I have a few observations to offer for those looking to play around with this:
- Paper quality. I just used regular old printer paper, not glossy photo paper or anything like that. This made the photos look more like actual cheap labels. I also didn’t worry too much about being careful with the glue. Again, a little mistake here and there actually enhances the effect.
- Glue. I removed the original label from the can and glued the photo directly to the can itself. Instead of rubber cement, I used a glue stick with acid-free acrylic emulsion. The glue stick made application really easy. And I didn’t apply the glue all the way around the can. I just glued down one end to the can, waited for that to dry, wrapped the photo around the can, pulled it tight, and glued the underside of that end to the end already affixed to the can. (When I tore the existing label off the can, I noticed that’s how it was glued on there, so I tried the same thing and it worked.)
- Can size, etc. Shopping in the canned food aisle of the supermarket takes on a different meaning when you’re not attempting to find green beans for dinner but trying to find aesthetically pleasing art supplies. I went with a larger can, one with stewed tomatoes; its proportions seemed more pleasing than those of a soup can. The problem was that when I got it home, it was almost 13 inches around, meaning that 8 1/2” x 11” paper wasn’t going to work. (I ended up getting some 8 1/2” x 14” paper.) So bring your tape measure to the grocery store with you to make sure the desired can will work with your paper size.
- No pop-tops. A lot of soup cans now feature pop-tops. Get the old fashioned kind instead…the last thing you want is Uncle Steve lifting your photo can off of the coffee table, fiddling with the pop-top, and, hey!, Chunky Vegetable three years past its expiration date all over the place.
- Botulism? Speaking of past the expiration date, what’s the shelf life of your artwork? The answer seems to be almost indefinitely when kept at temperatures at or below 75 degrees F, but I wouldn’t advise eating anything from your photo cans after a year or two. The risk of botulism is almost nonexistent in contemporary commercially canned food, but if you see any of your art swelling up, throw it out. In addition, botulism dislikes acidic environments, so you’re probably better off selecting cans with acidic food items in them, like tomatoes, fruits (without sweet syrups), and sauerkraut. But be careful not to get items that are too acidic…over a long period of time, the acid may eat through the can.
Good luck!
Nobel Prize winning physicist Gerard ‘t Hooft
Nobel Prize winning physicist Gerard ‘t Hooft on how to become a good theoretical physicist. He lists the subjects you need to learn (from languages to quantum field theory) and resources (both online and off) for learning them. A note on the ‘t in his name.
Tutorial on adding surprisingly realistic beards to
Tutorial on adding surprisingly realistic beards to people with Photoshop. (via photojojo, who’s having a contest for the best bearded woman)
Great video explaining how to turn a
Great video explaining how to turn a Britney Spears song into a Bach-style fugue. (via waxy)
Street hacks: how to survive a freestyle
Street hacks: how to survive a freestyle rap battle. “Have your first real battle against someone you at least somewhat dislike. If you can find someone who just gets you emotional or who angers you, it makes it easier to flow about them.” (thx, steve)
Author (and reader) Nick Hornby on how
Author (and reader) Nick Hornby on how to read. “Please, if you’re reading a book that’s killing you, put it down and read something else, just as you would reach for the remote if you weren’t enjoying a television programme.”
How to do a click heatmap on
How to do a click heatmap on your site with JavaScript and Ruby. Includes source code. Very slick.
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